Housing

Our Policy is to enable every household to obtain an affordable dwelling house of good quality and standard, suitable to its needs in a safe environment at a tenure of its choice. The core activities carried out by the Housing section are:

On 26th September 2018, Eoghan Murphy, T.D., Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and Simon Harris, T.D., Minister for Health launched of the Housing First National Implementation Plan 2018-2021 which will see the highly effective programme to reduce and end rough sleeping and long-term homelessness extended to every county in Ireland. The Housing First Implementation Plan underpins the Government’s commitment to provide permanent and lasting solutions to address rough sleeping and long-term homelessness in Ireland. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible where they can receive the tenancy and health supports that they require.The Plan sets targets for every local authority and aims to reduce and where possible eliminate rough sleeping and long term use of emergency accommodation.

The Housing First target for Laois County Council for the next three years is as follows:

The Government approved additional funding for social housing purposes in Budget 2018 and the overall financial envelope provided has now increased from €5.35 billion to €6 billion to support the delivery of an increased Rebuilding Ireland social housing target of 50,000 new social housing homes to be delivered by 2021.

Based on the 2017 Housing Needs Assessment the proportion of the national social housing target 2017-21 for delivery by Laois County Council is 627. This is the number of social housing homes for delivery via build, acquisition and leasing arrangements under the following specific programmes: LA build (including turnkeys); LA acquisitions; LA refurbs/voids; Buy and Renew; AHB Build and Acquisitions under the Capital Assistance Scheme and Capital Advance Leasing Facility; long-term-leasing via the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme, the Repair & Leasing Scheme; and Part V delivery. This target does not include the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Schemes.

The 2018 national target is 7,869, which for Laois County Council is a minimum of 76 homes, with an increased focus on delivering a greater number of social housing homes through construction activity.

Contractors, Trades & Security Personnel 2017 – 2018 Panel

Laois County Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from Trades, Services and Contractors who wish to be considered for inclusion on any of the following Panels:

Carpenters

Painting and Decorating

Fitted Kitchens

Contractors for general building work

It is intended that the Panels will compliment Laois County Council’s own Housing Maintenance team, if and when work arises by rotation for planned works or direct call-off in emergency situations.

Applicants must pass a health and safety assessment and submit insurances (€6.5 million public liability insurance and €13 million employers liability insurance) to qualify on the panel. Applicants must also demonstrate they are tax compliant. Applicants who are on the 2016 – 2017 or previous Panels must now reapply.

The panel will be formed for one year unless a national framework is put in place during this time. For enquiries and further information contact Pat Treacy, Executive Engineer, Housing Department (057) 866 4000.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

Laois County Council undertakes to use its best endeavours to protect confidential and commercially sensitive information provided by you in this tender subject to the Council’ s obligations under Law and including the Freedom of Information Act, 2014. Should you wish that any of the information supplied by you should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity, you should, when providing the information, identify same and specify reasons for its sensitivity. If your tender is successful the price will, as a matter of course, be available to the public outside of the scope of F.O.I. legislation. Laois County Council will consult with you about the release of confidential and commercially sensitive information before making decisions on any F.O.I. request received. If, having considered your views, Laois County Council is of the opinion that the information should be released in the public interest; you will have the option of appealing the decision to the Information Commissioner. Please note that in the event that no information is identified by you as sensitive, with supporting reasons, then it is likely to be released in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Acts.